术中判断肠活力三种方法的比较

术中准确地评价肠活力是外科医师面临的一个普遍问题。应用兔肠缺血模型，比较静脉荧光素、表面血氧测定和激光多普勒三种技术判断肠活力的精确性。结果：诊断效率静脉荧光素法为７８％，表面血氧测定为６８％，激光多普勒为９５％。后者精确度显著优于前二者，且操作简便、迅速，具有临床应用前景。     

Squamous cell carcinoma development in Fanconi anemia patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

We examined SCC development of 24 FA patients, who received HSCT from HLA‐matched relatives. In our BMT center, we applied low‐dose CY + LFI + ATG (n:13) as conditioning regimen for FA patients between 1992 and 1999, and CY + BU + ATG (n:11) between 1999 and 2002. The aim of this study was to investigate SCC development after HSCT and examine features of the follow‐up patients. The 10‐year overall survival (OS) of the group with LFI + regimen was 43%, whereas the group without LFI regimen was 60%. There was a statistically significant relationship between infections (viral/bacterial) and overall survival (Fisher's Exact test P < .001). Five out of 13 long‐term (>1 year) surviving patients developed SCC in the HNSCC (n:4) and esophagus (n:2) region (a patient with oral SCC developed a second primary esophageal SCC). The SCC rate in our FA patients was 38%, four of the SCC patients were transplanted with irradiation used conditioning regimens, three of them had acuteGvHD (Grade II‐III), only one developed chronic GvHD. The interval between HSCT and SCC diagnosis was median 13 (range 6‐18) years, the age for the development of cancer was median 21 (range 15‐32) years. Survival after SCC was low, median 6 months (range 6‐12), due to delayed SCC diagnosis, tumor progression under therapy and treatment‐related toxicities of the usually reduced RT and/or CT.     

Effect of leptin on intestinal re-growth following massive small bowel resection in rat

Recent evidence suggests that the adipose tissue-derived cytokine leptin (LEP) is involved in modulation of growth and differentiation of normal small intestine. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of parenteral LEP on structural intestinal adaptation, cell proliferation and apoptosis in a rat model of short bowel syndrome (SBS). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three experimental groups: Sham rats underwent bowel transection and re-anastomosis, SBS-rats underwent a 75% small bowel resection, and SBS-LEP-rats underwent bowel resection and were treated with LEP given subcutaneously at a dose of 20 μg/kg, once daily, from day 3 through 14. Parameters of intestinal adaptation (bowel and mucosal weights, mucosal DNA and protein, villus height and crypt depth in jejunum and ileum), enterocyte proliferation and enterocyte apoptosis were determined on day 15 following operation. Ileal tissue samples were taken for detection of bax and bcl-2 gene expression using RT-PCR technique. Statistical analysis was performed using the non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA test, with P<0.05 considered statistically significant. Treatment with subcutaneous LEP resulted in a significant increase in jejunal (17%, P<0.05) and ileal (13%, P<0.05) bowel weight, jejunal (10%, P<0.05) and ileal (25%, P<0.05) mucosal weight, jejunal (26%, P<0.05) and ileal (38%, P<0.05) mucosal DNA, ileal (25%, P<0.05) mucosal protein, jejunal (41%, P<0.05) and ileal (21%, P<0.05) villus height, jejunal (37%, P<0.05) crypt depth, and jejunal (24%, P<0.05) and ileal (21%, P<0.05) enterocyte proliferation compared to SBS-animals. Enterocyte apoptosis increased significantly after bowel resection in jejunum and ileum compared to sham animals and was accompanied by an increased bax gene expression and a decreased bcl-2 gene expression in ileal samples. SBS-LEP rats showed a trend toward a decrease in enterocyte apoptosis in ileum and a mild decrease in bax gene expression compared to SBS-untreated animals. In conclusion, in a rat model of SBS parenteral LEP stimulates structural intestinal adaptation. Increased cell proliferation and decreased cell death via apoptosis may be responsible for this increased cell mass.     

Sonographic evaluation of neonates with early-stage necrotizing enterocolitis

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency in neonatal intensive care units. Ultrasonographic findings in early-stage NEC have not been described. Objective: To assess the diagnostic value of ultrasonography for the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with NEC. Materials and methods: We evaluated the sonographic findings of early stages of NEC in 40 neonates who were clinically diagnosed with NEC when they were 2–28 days old. Their average gestational age was 32 weeks, and their mean weight was 1,850 g. All of the patients showed signs of bowel distention on abdominal radiography, with no evidence of pneumatosis intestinalis. We performed bowel sonography in all patients (n = 40), as well as in ten healthy neonates who served as a control group. The studies were conducted with a 10-MHz linear transducer from February 2003 to January 2004. We evaluated the echogenicity of the bowel wall, involved region, ascites, and portal venous gas at both initial and follow-up examinations. We divided the patients into two groups according to the bowel wall echogenicity pattern, group I with echogenic dots in the bowel wall and group II with dense granular echogenicities in the bowel wall. In order to identify any correlations between the ultrasonography and clinical findings, we evaluated the duration of parenteral feeding (NPO) in each group and compared two groups by means of a statistical analysis (Mann–Whitney test). Results: All of the neonates in the control group (n = 10) presented normal bowel wall echogenicity; the patients with NEC presented echogenic dots in 16 patients (40%) and dense granular echogenicities in 24 patients (60%). Portal venous gas was absent in all patients. On the follow-up examinations, the echogenicity of the bowel wall and ascites decreased in 37 patients (93%). The duration of NPO was 11.1 ± 6.6 days in group I and 16.5 ± 7.2 days in group II (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Echogenic dots or dense granular echogenicities in the bowel wall can be seen in patients with early-stage NEC. Bowel sonography can be helpful for the early diagnosis and monitoring of patients with NEC.This paper was presented at the RSNA 2003 scientific paper session.     

99 mTc antigranulocyte monoclonal antibody imaging for the detection and assessment of inflammatory bowel disease newly diagnosed by colonoscopy in children

Objective: This prospective study evaluated a ^99mTc antigranulocyte monoclonal antibody Fab' imaging agent (Sulesomab) in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) newly diagnosed by colonoscopy. Materials and methods: Ten children (4 boys, 6 girls; mean age 14 years) with newly diagnosed Crohn's disease (n = 6) or ulcerative colitis (n = 4) were studied. Colonoscopy was performed in all of these patients. Within 24 h after colonoscopy, they underwent scintigraphy with ^{99 m}Tc-Sulesomab. Abdominal/pelvic images were acquired at 30 min (planar) and 2–4 h (planar and SPECT) after injection of Sulesomab. Eighty bowel segments were evaluated semi-quantitatively by the investigators, using these three sets of images. The Pediatric Disease Activity (PDA) was correlated with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), white blood cell (WBC) count, albumin, Kirschner's score, the Sulesomab bowel segment with maximum uptake, and the sum of Sulesomab score in each segment. Results: The median PDA score was 26 (range 12.5–40). Three children had normal ESR and six normal WBC counts. All patients had at least one positive mucosal biopsy for IBD. While using the Kirschner's scale, the maximal severity of colonoscopy findings was graded as none (n = 2), mild (n = 4), moderate (n = 3), or severe (n = 1). Of the 59 segments evaluated with endoscopy, 35 were found to be endoscopically abnormal. The planar images identified 17 of these abnormal segments and the SPECT images 20. Nine of these ten children had abnormal bowel uptake by scintigraphy. Thus, the sensitivity of Sulesomab per patient was 90 % and per bowel segment 57 %. The correlation coefficient between the scintigraphic score for the segment with the Sulesomab maximum activity and the PDA was 0.3 (P = 0.41). Conclusion: In pediatric IBD assessment, planar imaging with Sulesomab did not prove very sensitive in detecting inflammation in each bowel segment. However, SPECT detected the presence of inflammation in the majority of patients. A trial comparing ^{99 m}Tc-HmPAO-WBC with Sulesomab in a large number of patients is required. Received: 23 January 2001 Accepted: 14 May 2001     

Symptoms of irritable bowel in school children: Prevalence and psychosocial effects

Introduction. This study was to ascertain the prevalence of symptoms of irritable bowel in a sample of school children 11 to 17 years of age and to determine whether children with such symptoms differed from children without symptoms on various psychosocial questions.Method. Eight hundred fifty-one school children completed a 20-item questionnaire consisting of questions related to symptoms of irritable bowel, psychosocial questions, and filler questions. Questions referred to a 1-week time frame to minimize memory distortion.Results. Of the sample, 133 (16.2%) had one or more symptoms of irritable bowel. A significant association was found between bowel symptoms and other factors. Children with symptoms were more likely to report that they felt different from other children (χ² analysis = 10.06, p = 0.002), were embarrassed about their health (χ² analysis = 16.14, p = 0.0001), and felt their health prevented them from going out with their friends (χ² analysis = 4.69, p = 0.03).Discussion. The study suggests that a large number of children have symptoms of irritable bowel and that having such symptoms can have a significant impact on children's lives beyond the immediate physical effects. Because children with symptoms of irritable bowel are likely to come to the attention of health professionals, nurses are in an ideal position to give such children both information and reassurance about their condition.     

Mucosal expression of p21, p27, p53, Bcl-2, and bax after small bowel resection and autotransplantation in pigs

Massive small bowel resection increases ileal villus height as part of normal adaptation. However, despite no gut loss, autotransplantation of the entire small intestine also increases ileal villus height. Our aim was to test whether similar modulation of enterocyte proliferation and apoptosis underpin these comparable increases in villus height. Fifteen pigs were randomly assigned for laparotomy (n=5), 75% proximal small bowel resection (n=5), or jejunoileal autotransplantation (n=5). Eight weeks postoperatively, full-thickness small bowel sections underwent routine immunohistochemistry for cell cycle inhibitors (p53, p21, and p27), antiapoptotic Bcl-2, and proapoptotic bax. The specimens were analyzed semiquantitatively, and the number of intensively positive epithelial cells for each group was compared from 20 digital images (0.32 mm²/image). Compared with laparotomy, small bowel resection decreased the number of p27-positive enterocytes in both jejunum and ileum, increased the number of bax-expressing cells in ileum, but decreased the number of bax-expressing cells in jejunum. In contrast, compared with laparotomy, jejunoileal autotransplantation altered neither mucosal bax nor p27 expression. In all groups, Bcl-2 expression was similarly confined to inflammatory cells of the lamina propria, while both p53 and p21 were negative. We conclude that long-term alterations in the enterocytic expression of certain cell cycle and apoptosis markers (p27 and bax) accompany small bowel resection. These changes differ between the jejunum and the ileum and are not seen after whole small bowel autotransplantation. Therefore, increased ileal villus height after autotransplantation, despite resembling postresectional intestinal adaptation, is underpinned by different regulation of enterocyte proliferation and apoptosis.     

Sonographic evaluation of inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective, blinded, comparative study

Background Children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) undergo invasive and repeated investigations, including contrast radiology and endoscopy.Objective To assess transabdominal sonography of the colon and distal ileum compared to colonoscopy and barium radiology in known or suspected IBD.Materials and methods A prospectively recruited cohort of 44 children (median age 12 years, range 3.5–16.5 years; 24 males) underwent transabdominal sonography prior to colonoscopy (n=33) or barium follow-through (n=25). Diagnoses were: Crohn disease (n=25), ulcerative colitis (n=12), indeterminate colitis (n=1), normal (n=6).Results Bowel wall thickness (BWT) and endoscopic severity were compared in 153 colonic segments. No difference was found between normal and mildly affected segments. BWT was less in normal bowel than moderate (P<0.001) or severe (P<0.001) lesions. Where BWT was >2.9 mm, sensitivity for moderate/severe disease was 48%, specificity 93%, positive predictive value 83% (likelihood ratio 7). Barium radiology showed terminal ileum abnormality in ten patients (40%). Where ileal BWT was >2.5 mm, comparative sensitivity was 75%, specificity 92%, positive predictive value 88% (likelihood ratio 9). Superior mesenteric artery Doppler did not correlate with disease severity.Conclusion Increased BWT has good positive predictive value for moderate/severe disease in the colon proximal to the rectum (>3 mm), and terminal ileum (>2.5 mm). BWT below this cannot exclude moderate/severe mucosal lesions.     

Gastroschisis: Are prenatal ultrasonographic findings useful for assessing the prognosis?

Objective. The objective of this study was to assess various prenatal patterns in correlation with survival and the occurrence of complications of antenatally recognized gastroschisis (G).Materials and methods. We retrospectively studied 34 cases of G. Mortality and morbidity in the postnatal period were assessed and correlated with the prenatal presence or absence of: (1) bowel and/or stomach dilatation, (2) thickening and/or hyperechogenicity of the intestinal wall, (3) meconium peritonitis (in the abdomen) before 20 weeks of gestation, (4) asymmetrical bowel dilatation, and (5) associated malformations. Morbidity took into account the length of hospitalization and the number of surgical procedures.Results. The overall survival rate was 94 %. Neither bowel nor stomach dilatation was significantly correlated with mortality. However, evidence of intestinal dilatation greater than 17 mm had a positive predictive value of 67 % for atresia, with a negative predictive value of 86 %. Thickening and/or hyperechogenicity of the bowel wall were not significantly associated with mortality. Meconium peritonitis before 20 weeks and asymmetrical bowel dilatation were not statistically significant because of the small sample size. Twelve patients (35.3 %) had postnatal complications, with a mean hospital stay of 127 days. Outcome was not modified by the mode of delivery. Associated extradigestive anomalies were present in 20.6 % of cases. Chromosomal anomalies were not seen.Conclusion. The prognosis of prenatally detected G is excellent despite the frequency of small bowel atresia (67 %) in the group with postnatal complications. Meconium peritonitis before 20 weeks of gestation and/ or asymmetrical bowel dilatation also appear to be indicators of atresia (2/4, 50 %) or high morbidity (3/4,75%).     

Length of transplanted small bowel required for adequate weight gain in rats

Progress has been made toward developing a clinically successful small-bowel transplant procedure, but there has been little research concerning the functional aspects of the transplanted small bowel. Using a rat model, our study examined the length of transplanted small bowel required to provide adequate weight gain. The rats were divided into six groups; groups I and 2 were considered controls. Group 1 (n = 6) underwent a gastrostomy. Group 2 (n = 3) underwent a jejunoileectomy followed by re-establishment of intestinal continuity and anastomosis of the native proximal small bowel to an abdominal stoma and the distal portion to the ascending colon. Groups 3 (n = 5), 4 (n = 4), 5 (n = 5), and 6 (n = 4) underwent small-bowel transplantation, receiving 100%, 50%, 25%, and 15% transplants, respectively. The donor small-bowel anastomoses were the same as the native small-bowel anastomoses in group 2. All of the rats began to produce stool within 4 days of becoming dependent upon the transplanted small bowel. By the end of postoperative week 4, there was no significant difference between the percentages of preoperative body weight in groups 1–4 (range 125.7%–130.0%). Although the weight gain in group 5 was significantly less than that in groups 1–4 (P < 0.05), it was adequate (111.8%); group 6 animals lost weight (94.7%). It is concluded that a 50% or more small-bowel transplant with or without an ileocecal valve provides ample weight gain; minimally adequate weight gain is achieved by a 25% transplant without an ileocecal valve; and the graft begins to function soon after transplantation.     

The pediatric risk of mortality score in infants and children with fulminant liver failure

The pediatric risk of mortality (PRISM) score as a severity scoring system has never been assessed in infants and children with fulminant liver failure (FLF). A retrospective case study of 109 infants and children admitted in a 22-bed pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary university hospital, National Referral Center for Pediatric Liver Transplantation, from March 1986 to August 1997 was carried out. PRISM score was not significantly different within etiologic FLF categories, or between infants and children. However, PRISM score (mean +/- SD) showed significant difference (p = 0.001) between the 27 patients who spontaneously recovered with supportive care (8.8 +/- 5.0) and 82 patients who underwent emergency liver transplantation (ELT) or those who died before (14.9 +/- 7.7). PRISM score-based probability of mortality was underestimated when compared with observed mortality. A death probability higher than 20% had a 24% sensitivity and 95% specificity for severe outcome. Reciever operating characteristic curve for PRISM score showed elevated discriminative power (Az = 0.91) for discerning children with severe outcome from those who spontaneously recovered with supportive care. A PRISM score more than 10 showed an odds ratio of 2.69 for predicting severe outcome (95% CI: 1.11-6.55; p = 0.038). In conclusion, the PRISM score is an accurate means of severity assessment in pediatric FLF. However, PRISM score-based mortality was of low predictive value.     

Does the transition zone reliably delineate aganglionic bowel in Hirschsprung’s disease?

Background: Knowledge of the extent of aganglionic bowel is important for preoperative planning of trans-anal surgery in patients with Hirschsprungs disease (HD). Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of the transition zone, as identified by contrast enema study, for identifying the extent of aganglionic bowel. Materials and methods: A total of 32 patients with preoperative contrast enema studies and pathologic identification of aganglionic extent were reviewed. Two pediatric radiologists independently reviewed the contrast enema studies. The radiographic transition zone was compared to the pathological extent of aganglionic bowel. Results: Radiologist agreement of the site of transition zone on contrast enema was 90.6%. The concordance between the radiographic transition zone and pathologic extent of aganglionic bowel was 62.5%. The subgroup of patients with long-segment HD revealed a concordance of only 25%. Conclusion: Contrast enema delineation of the transition zone in HD needs to be regarded with caution. This is especially true in long-segment disease, where knowledge of the extent of aganglionic bowel is most crucial to surgical planning.     

Intra-operative pulse oximetry can help determine intestinal viability

 The intra-operative assessment of intestinal viability when dealing with ischaemic bowel remains a challenge. Reliable healing of small-bowel anastomoses, using pulse oximetry to exclude critical ischaemia, has been shown in the canine model. In this study, intra-operative pulse oximetry (PO) was used to help determine intestinal viability 48 h after de-torsion of a volvulus. Approximately one-half of the ischaemic, volved bowel was able to be preserved. Intra-operative PO can thus help preserve bowel of doubtful viability. Accepted: 10 April 2000     

新生儿危重症先天性心脏病筛查的卫生经济学系统评价

背景：新生儿危重症先天性心脏病（mCHD）筛查技术日臻成熟，然而成熟的技术要具有较好的经济性才可能被广泛接受和应用，目前相关研究不多，且大部分数据来源于发达国家。 目的：探讨mCHD筛查的有效性和经济性。 设计：系统评价。 方法：通过构建P（新生儿）、I［脉搏血氧饱和度（POX）］、R［心脏超声检查（ECHO）、手术］、O（新生儿mCHD）、S（成本分析法、成本效果分析、成本效用分析、成本效益分析）建立检索式，在Medline、Embase、Web of Science、The Cochrane Library、SinoMed、中国知网、万方数据库检索2000年至2022年4月28日的文献。通过阅读题目、摘要和全文筛选，提取文献基本信息，卫生经济学指标（评价方法、研究视角、成本收集范围、敏感性分析类型、贴现率），卫生经济学评价结果［挽救1个生命年（LYS）的成本、获得1个质量调整生命年（QALY）的成本、避免1个伤残调整生命年（DALY）的成本、增加1例及时诊断出病例的成本和增量成本效果/效用比］。文献的质量评价采用卫生经济学评价质量评分量表（QHES）。 主要结局指标：筛查成本和成本效果。 结果：纳入2007至2020年11篇文献，能提取单纯POX筛查数据的文献7篇，能提取单纯CE和POX+CE筛查数据的文献各4篇，能提取POX+MUR筛查的文献1篇。社会角度2篇，医疗系统角度9篇；基于人群4篇，基于模型7篇；收集了直接成本和间接成本1篇，收集了直接成本10篇。基于2022年6月汇率折算美元，POX筛查的成本为2～24.5美元，其中人工成本为2.53～7.4美元，一次性探头成本为13.4～22美元，重复性探头成本为0.1～0.9美元。CE筛查的成本为 0.5~4.5美元。MUR筛查的成本为1.3~2.0美元。筛查阳性的病例行ECHO费用30~1 300美元。8篇文献采用CEA/CUA（成本效果/效用分析）进行筛查的成本效果分析，其中2篇评价POX筛查、5篇POX+CE筛查和1篇POX+MUR，不考虑人工成本的基础上使用一次性探头和ECHO费用是主要筛查成本；POX、POX+MUR和POX+CE具有成本效果，POX+MUR与ECHO相比更具有成本效果，ECHO+CE与POX+CE相比还能检出其他先天性缺陷则具有成本效果。 结论：mCHD筛查成本主要体现在是否使用一次性探头和超声检查费用；POX、POX+MUR和POX+CE具有成本效果；不同经济发展水平mCHD筛查的经济性可接受。     

Can pulse oxymetry be used for measuring intestinal blood flow?

AIM: When studying intestinal blood flow (IBF) using radiolabeled erythrocytes in the rabbit intestinal volvulus model, we also evaluated whether a pulse oxymeter (POX) could be used for the measurement of intestinal blood flow. METHODS: IBF was measured with radiolabeled erythrocytes and POX in the rabbit intestinal volvulus model. The study was performed on 3 groups: 1) baseline, 2) volvulus, 3) volvulus plus devolvulus. RESULTS: The POX and scintigraphic measurements were in correlation and showed that IBF stopped for 6 hours following volvulus. IBF was significantly decreased in the volvulus plus devolvulus group compared to the baseline group (p < 0.01). IBF measured with POX correlated with scintigraphic measurements. CONCLUSION: POX is useful for the measurement of IBF and thus may be a cheap and reliable alternative to other intestinal blood flow measurement methods.     

Malignant intraperitoneal neoplasms of childhood

Objective. The purpose of this paper is to review and categorize the CT appearances of primary and secondary intraperitoneal neoplasms in children. Materials and methods. We retrospectively reviewed the CT images of 14 cases of intraperitoneal neoplasms. They were reviewed for bowel wall thickening, mesenteric nodules, ascites, calcification, peritoneal nodules, omental caking, and contrast enhancement. Results. Computed tomography images of 14 cases of intraperitoneal neoplasms were evaluated: rhabdomyosarcoma (5), lymphoma (3), neuroblastoma (2), germ cell tumor (1), mesothelioma (1), Wilms tumor (1), and hepatocellular carcinoma (1). Nodular enhancement was seen in all cases, ascites in most, significant bowel wall thickening only with lymphoma, and calcification only with germ cell tumors. Omental caking was present both with rhabdomyosarcoma and lymphoma. Conclusions. While rare in pediatrics, intraperitoneal neoplasms occur in children, and CT is useful in identifying these peritoneal neoplasms. Received: 7 August 1997 Accepted: 9 December 1997     

Pathogenesis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: a study of the role of intraluminal pressure, age and bacterial concentration

The pathogenesis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is unknown. Intestinal dilatation and preferred occurrence of NEC at sites of bacterial overgrowth (colon and ileum) are common findings. The study attempted to produce NEC with increasing intraluminal pressures and bacterial concentrations in two different aged groups of rats. First, 10-cm terminal ileum segments were isolated with intact vascular pedicles in 1-and 3-month-old rats, and a dose of 10¹¹ E. coli in 1 ml was injected into each segment. Intraluminal pressure was sustained for 1 h at 150, 100, 50 and 0 cmH₂0, respectively, in four experimental groups (n=6). The isolated loop was then returned to the abdominal cavity and assessed grossly for NEC after 24 h. Histological examination was performed by a pathologist (KWC) who was blinded to the procedures. Second, the procedure was repeated with doses of 10⁸, 10⁵ and 0 bacteria/ml (n=6) at intraluminal pressure of 100 cmH₂0 in 1-month-old rats. Third, in another experimental group, oxygenation of the pedicled loop was assessed by oximetry as the intraluminal pressure increased and the findings were correlated with aortic blood pressure. The blood pressures (mean±SD) for 3- and 1-month-old rats were 110±6 and 72±4 mmHg, respectively. Hypoxia (<50% oxygen saturation) of the bowel was detected when the intraluminal pressure exceeded the mean blood pressure. The relative incidences of NEC in the bowel with intraluminal pressure above and below mean blood pressure were 100% (6/6) vs. 4% (1/24; P<0.05) in 3-month-old rats, and 100% (12/12) vs. 11% (2/18; P<0.05) in 1-month-old rats. There was no occurrence of NEC in bowel injected with 10⁵ E. coli/ml and less at 100 cm intraluminal pressure. Increased intraluminal pressure results in bowel hypoxia and in the presence of adequate bacterial concentration predisposes to the development of NEC. Young age is associated with a lower threshold for increased intraluminal pressure leading to NEC.     

Long-term complications following intestinal malrotation and the Ladd’s procedure: a 15 year review

Background: It is accepted that children with volvulus require urgent surgery. However the long term sequelae and late complications of its surgical therapy are less well understood. We hypothesised that the surgical corrected intestinal malrotation have significant long term impact on the patients quality of life. Methods: Forty-six children with intestinal malrotation were operated on at a tertiary referral centre over a fifteen year period. Their charts were retrospectively reviewed and the patients were contacted. Results: The study revealed two distinct groups, those without complications 25 (54%) and those without 21 (46%). In the acute post operative period four (9%) patients had on going feeding difficulties and one (2%) developed chronic abdominal pain. However 12 (26%) required readmission within the first six months after the initial operation. Eleven (24%) patients were readmitted with acute bowel obstruction. Six (13%) patients required multiple admissions due to small bowel obstruction and six (13%) patients underwent further surgery for adhesion related obstruction. There were four (9%) deaths in the study group, three due to other medical conditions and one following small bowel obstruction. There was zero mortality immediately after the primary operation. There was no significant difference in the initial presentation, age and operative findings in those requiring further surgery and those who did not. Conclusions: We demonstrated that there is a significant long-term morbidity associated with intestinal malrotation even after corrective surgery. Detailed education about the potential for small bowel obstruction must be given to the parents of these children.     

Effects of omeprazole and gentamicin on the biochemical and histopathological alterations of the hypoxia/ reoxygenation induced intestinal injury in newborn rats

We utilized a newborn rat model of hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) that resembles human necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) to investigate the effects of omeprazole and/or gentamicin on the formation of free oxygen radicals (FOR) and bowel histopathology. For H/R, 1-day-old rats were placed into a chamber of 100% CO₂ for 5 min, then they were reoxygenized for the next 5 min. The rats (n=70) were divided into seven groups: group 1 (control), group 2 (H/R), group 3 (omeprazole), group 4 (H/R+omeprazole), group 5 (gentamicin), group 6 (H/R+gentamicin), group 7 (H/R+omeprazole+gentamicin). Gentamicin and/or omeprazole were given orally for 3 days, then all animals were killed; bowel specimens were harvested. Histopathologic injury scores (HIS) and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and XO/(XO+XDH) rates (XO; xanthine oxidase, XDH; xanthine dehydrogenase) were measured, which reflect the FOR levels. In group 2, the HIS was significantly higher than groups 4 and 6. The mean MDA values in groups 1–7 were as follows: 54.16, 104.2, 56.85, 63.43, 62.31, 76.85, 79.13, respectively. The mean XO/(XO+XDH) levels were 0.306, 0.461, 0.286, 0.335, 0.323, 0.410, 0.375 from groups 1 –7, respectively. Group 2 rats had significantly more MDA and XO/(XO+XDH) rates versus other groups (P<001). Histopathologic injury and biochemical results were significantly more severe in group 2 than in groups 4 and 6 (P<001). There was no difference between groups 1 and 4 according to XO/(XO+XDH) rates. In newborn rats, H/R produces FOR, which cause serious intestinal damage. Omeprazole and/or gentamicin reduce biochemical and histopathologic bowel damage. This effect was more obvious in omeprazole treated rats. We think omeprazole may open new insights into the treatment of H/R related bowel injuries like NEC.     

Adhesive small-bowel obstruction in children

Seventy-one episodes of adhesive small-bowel obstruction (ASBO) in 57 children were reviewed to define the relationship of treatment methods to clinical conditions and to examine the place of conservative treatment. Thirteen children received urgent operations on the day of admission because of signs of suspected strangulation or complete obstruction. The remaining 58 episodes underwent initial conservative treatment, which was successful in 35 while 23 required subsequent surgical intervention, an overall incidence of operation in 36 of the 71 (50.7%) episodes of ASBO. Seven episodes required bowel resection, strangulation was found in 3 (4.2%), and mortality occurred in 1 (1.7%) due to delayed operation. Patients with more than one previous successfully treated occurrence of ASBO were significantly more likely to respond to conservative treatment (71.4% vs. 54.4%, P <0.05). Those patients who had undergone laparotomies twice or more before the episode were more likely to be successfully treated by conservative treatment than those who underwent laparotomy only once before (80% vs. 52.4%, P <0.01). Whether or not the treatment of the previous occurrences of ASBO was surgical, we found that the initial treatment of any further episode could be conservative except when evidence of a complete or strangulated bowel obstruction developed.